Hearing Report: House Aviation Hearing on FAA Reauthorization Law: Safety, ATC Modernization and GA Fees Top Issues
June 4, 2025
Today, the Aviation Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee held a hearing titled "FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024: Stakeholder Perspectives on Implementation One Year Later." The session featured testimony from the following panel of witnesses:
- Darren Pleasance, President and CEO, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
- Edward M. Bolen, President and CEO, National Business Aviation Association
- Michael Robbins, President and CEO, Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International
- Captain Jody Reven, President, Southwest Airlines Pilots Association
- Sara Nelson, International President, Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL-CIO
Testimony generally reviewed implementation various provisions of the FAA Reauthorization Act as well as discussion of the need to modernize the nation’s Air Traffic Control system, with particular focus on safety, general aviation, uncrewed new entrants and union priorities.
Key Issues:
- ATC Modernization: All witnesses highlighted the need for investments in ATC modernization through both the FAA bill and the pending reconciliation bill, emphasizing the importance of staffing and both technology and facility upgrades.
- ADS-B/General Aviation Airports: Throughout the hearing AOPA raised concerns about ADS-B systems being used for landing fee collection. Darren Pleasance claimed that using ADS-B for landing fee collection discourages private pilots from adopting this safety technology due to privacy concerns and they would like to see federal legislation to prohibit the use of the technology for fee collection. AOPA also sited examples of ADS-B information being used to identify aircraft owners and filing legal claims against them, primarily for related to noise.
- FBO Fees: AOPA also stated they believe there should be more FBO fee transparency, claiming they are seeing “egregious activity at airports” and that they will resist everything that increases the cost of flight.
- Airspace Visibility for Drones: UVSI highlighted the need to move more quickly to advance technology that ensures aircraft are aware of other aircraft operating nearby. SWAPA also called for all aircraft to be equipped with technology to ensure no conflicts in the airspace and on the ground.
- GA Airports Eligibility for AIP – Congressman Tony Wied (R-WI) asked witnesses about the eligibility challenges of general aviation airports to qualify for AIP funding, specifically mentioning Watertown. Though none of the witnesses had experience with AIP eligibility for general aviation airports, both AOPA and NBAA agreed that streamlined access to funding would improve cost management of projects.
Additional Information:
Hearing video and witness testimony can be found here.
